2010

Nigeria’s Boko Haram Hell

By WILLIAM MAYER

April 9, 2014 – San Francisco, CA - PipeLineNews.org – A few weeks ago, the All Africa News Service conducted an interview with Abudlrahman Tera [member of the Nigerian House of Representatives for Bama/Ngala/Kala-Balge Federal Constituency of Borno State] regarding the unrelenting, horrifically violent jihad being waged by Boko Haram, a Muslim group led by Abubakar Shekau. [see, Levinus Nwabughiogu, Our Boko Haram Hell]

The words Boko Haram translate into, “Western Education is forbidden,” and over a very brief period of years the group has succeeded in destroying the educational system in Borno and Yobe states by atrocity laden attacks targeting school children.

As the Representative states, “...the current situation is one where schools no longer exist. Students cannot identify themselves as students. Teachers cannot identify themselves as teachers and cannot dare go to where school locations are. The existing structures have all been completely burnt down. And our economic activities have been brought down not just because there is sense of insecurity but because specifically, market and economic hubs have been targeted, burnt down, peoples' assets have been specifically targeted and burnt down…”

Nigeria’s military forces are clearly unable to contain this threat. It’s actually worse than that as President Jonathan has at times directed his press representatives to claim that Boko Haram’s leader, Shekau, had been killed and group was in disarray.

These claims have always been followed by an increase in terror activity, often accompanied by videos featuring an obviously very much alive Abubakar Shekau.

We have been following this story for several years, one of the very few Western media news sources to do so, for example:

It should come as no surprise that an American public which is challenged to even be able to identify the Vice President, would be largely ignorant of this carnage, but one would hope that the same would not be the case at the U.S. Department of State.

Sadly, however, this administration is averting its eyes from Shekau’s maniacal religious war, not because it doesn’t know what is going on, but rather because as far as Team Obama is concerned Islamic jihad doesn’t exist.

To do otherwise would cause it to violate one of Obama’s core assertions, that there is no linkage between terrorism and Islam. To do otherwise would force it to take military action, anathema to this group of incompetent ideologues.

As this author wrote last September:

“But Nigeria is not the only country which is pretending that a serious threat exists, the U.S. State Department is claiming that groups such as Boko Haram exist because of unmet social and economic needs, completely ignoring the jihadist nature of the group.

“…During yesterday's State Department briefing, the subject of a recent attack in Nigeria by the Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram was addressed by Patrick Ventrell, Acting Deputy Spokesperson, in a manner indicative of this administrations twisted thinking regarding terrorism perpetrated by Muslims.

According to Mr. Ventrell, Islamic jihad is caused by government's not addressing long festering local social problems. State's thinking on this is dangerously simplistic in that it implies that absent societal grievances, jihad would not exist.

Q. "...But 200 people have been killed in an attack in Nigeria, and this is really the latest in a string of recent attacks related to Boko Haram. Are you concerned that there’s been really an uptick in violence in recent months? And is the U.S. still supportive of President Jonathan’s posture that Boko Haram is a group that can be negotiated with?

A. "...Well, thanks for the question, Guy. The United States does condemn the violence that took the lives of so many innocent civilians in Baga Borno state. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of those who died or were injured as a result of these attacks. We support the Nigerian authorities in their efforts to bring the perpetrators of violent acts to justice, and stress the importance of respecting human rights and protecting civilians in all security responses. So we urge all parties to refrain from reprisal attacks..." [source, William Mayer, U.S. State Dept. Disinformation Campaign Continues: Islamic Jihad Is Legitimate Response To "Economic And Political Needs"]

When it became obvious that looking in the other direction on this matter would not put the issue to rest, State was finally forced to admit that Boko Haram represented a terrorist threat and the Treasury Department has added the group to its official roster of Foreign Terrorist Organizations.

With the administration in a state of complete denial, In the real world this designation means very little. We can find no evidence that any increase in foreign aid will be dedicated to assisting Nigeria in its battle against the Islamic jihad, so if Boko Haram is going to be defeated within the last three years of Obama’s presidency it will have to do so itself becuase to the folks at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., what happens in Nigeria, stays in Nigeria.